SAVE Britain’s Heritage proposals for Anglia Square in Norwich fail to take into account real world economics and planning procedures and will need £100+ million of public subsidy funding – as a result they are not financially viable, say Weston Homes who has reviewed the plans.
Weston Homes has reviewed the Anglia Square Alternative Masterplan (July 2022), designed by Ash Sakula Architects, and promoted by SAVE Britain’s Heritage, which has been published after the official public consultation period has ended, thereby not allowing for either general public input or other stakeholder feedback on the plans.
Weston Homes say that the plans lack financial credibility since nowhere in the 40 page document of proposals is there information on how the Ash Sakula Architects scheme will be funded, nothing on construction/build costs, nothing on how the project would be phased or delivered and nothing on the proposal’s financial viability. The proposals are remarkably similar to a previous SAVE Britain’s Heritage proposal for the site submitted two years ago which formed part of the Public Inquiry and was accepted as not being financially viable.
The proposals do not take into account the commercial constraints of existing land and lease ownership. There is no information in the proposals on how the different retailers and businesses currently operating in Anglia Square will be rehoused on site under the plans, or – if they are not part of the proposals – how their existing lease agreements will be terminated.
Despite the official community consultation feedback showing that a strong majority of the general public and stakeholders in Norwich want the central Anglia Square public open space retained, in the Ash Sakula Architects plans the square has been removed.
The proposals are also misleading since the designs cover land which is not actually within the Anglia Square site – the proposals extend into land not within the Anglia Square ownership boundary.
In the submitted Weston Homes planning application, the proposals will result in a biodiversity net gain in excess of 170% and pedestrianised “green” car-free streets, proposals which have received huge support during the public consultations. In contrast the Ash Sakula Architects scheme reintroduces cars into the streets and provides no detail on biodiversity.
Weston Homes highlights that SAVE Britain’s Heritage has been a consultee during the entire planning application process yet at no time has SAVE Britain’s Heritage used this opportunity to have an open and direct dialogue with the company about these new proposals, nor have they formed part of the official public consultation exercise.
Bob Weston, Chairman & Managing Director of Weston Homes says: “Weston Homes has invested £6 million in the public consultation and planning process to date for the Anglia Square site. Our current scheme is marginally viable and without excessive profit and crucially the proposals are based on in depth consultation with local people and we have listened to all the key stakeholders. Weston Homes remains firmly committed to finding a viable future for Anglia Square which has the support of the people of Norwich.”
Steve Hatton, Planning & Design Director at Weston Homes says: “The Ash Sakula Architects proposals are based on a few months work centred around concept sketches and proposals that misrepresent a complex brief. None of it, in our opinion, is financially viable and does not have the support of the site’s owner or financial backers. In contrast the full planning submission documents submitted by Weston Homes are based on five years of detailed work. We have fully consulted with the general public and stakeholders, our plans have had a full financial audit, and have the support of our bank funders. Our proposals could be delivered, whilst in our view the Ash Sakula Architects proposals would never get built.”
The Weston Homes proposals for Anglia Square are based on extensive local community and key stakeholder consultation undertaken between September 2021 and May 2022. This included nine days of major public exhibitions, additional group and individual meetings involving over 1,100 local Norwich people from the general public, additional on-line/email correspondence and meetings with 16 key stakeholder groups including Norwich City Council, Design South East, Historic England, The Norwich Society, Save Britain’s Heritage, Norwich Cycling Campaign and Norwich Cathedral.
